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The Prenuptial – Naughty, Nice or Perhaps Just Plain Necessary? I began working as a babysitter for neighborhood families when I was 12. Sometimes there was one kid and sometimes there were upwards of four. My pay – .50/hour and $1.00 after midnight. This is when I started saving. When I was 15, I worked as a sales clerk at Marks and Spencer in St. […] Posted in: Family Matters4 min read
Why critical illness insurance can be so… well, critical When I was in my mid-30s, I attended a luncheon seminar on behavioural finance, examining why we don’t do what we know we should to better manage our finances. I had the good fortune of sitting beside a bright, articulate young woman named Carolyn who was in the business of selling insurance and investment products. […] Posted in: Insurance4 min read
Money: It’s a family affair It’s amazing to me that when I’m waiting in line or at an event, I hear people talking openly about their dating escapades, very personal health issues or even private family matters. But have you ever noticed that in these situations you rarely catch people talking about their finances? Maybe if it’s about a recent […] Posted in: Family Matters6 min read
What my 4-year-old is learning about money People often ask me, “When should I start to teach my children about money?” Much to their surprise, my answer is, “When they’re old enough to count.” If we think about it, most parents teach life-long habits to their kids at an early age. We don’t wait until they’re 18 to teach them manners and […] Posted in: Family Matters4 min read
5 reasons for making your personal and financial affairs easy to understand Nearly one year ago to this very day my 54-year-old partner had a heart attack. I wasn’t notified by the hospital but by his brother, which left me a bit baffled. Clearly, I wasn’t listed as the next of kin. Either Bill did not trust me, or his next of kin notification hadn’t been updated. […] Posted in: Family Matters3 min read